Container and a storage for a saw blade

ABSTRACT

A container, which is adapted to receive an elongated saw blade of a reciprocating saw, comprises a separate body with an engaging portion. The engaging portion can be engaged with a cover to form a chamber. Thus, the saw blade may be received in the chamber. The container may be fit in a storage case which has two engageable parts, at least one of which comprises a set of receiving slots for holding the containers.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an accessory for a power tool, and specifically, it relates to a container for holding a saw blade therein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A reciprocating saw generally includes a saw blade driven by a motor for cutting wood or other work piece. With reference to FIG. 1, the saw blade for the reciprocating saw is commonly elongate and includes blade teeth of which extend out of the two opposite side faces of the blade in a staggered relationship. Due to this configuration of the teeth, an operator of the saw may be easily injured by the outwardly extending teeth of the saw blade. Furthermore, the saw blade for the reciprocating saw will need to be replaced frequently because it may periodically break or become dull. Accordingly, a professional operator will typically bring one or more saw blades with him in case a blade should need to be replaced during work.

Accordingly, a safe container for the saw blade, which is also convenient to be carried, is desired. However, at present, saw blades are usually packaged within a plastic film when packaged for sale in the market. It is inconvenient for an operator to carry the saw blade packaged by a plastic film because the film can be easily pierced by the saw blades. Furthermore, since the size of a saw blade is typically small and thin, the blade can easily be misplaced on an untidy work table.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a container for a saw blade of a reciprocating saw, which is safe, reliable, and convenient to be carried and manipulated.

In order to obtain the objects of the present invention, a container is adapted to receive a saw blade of a reciprocating saw, wherein the saw blade comprises a set of teeth extending outwardly from two opposing side faces of the saw blade. The container comprises a separate body which has an engaging portion. The engaging portion can be engaged with a cover to form a chamber for receiving the saw blade.

With the container, the saw blade received therein is convenient and safe to be carried, which overcomes the drawbacks in the prior art. And an operator can be prevented from being hurt by the teeth of the saw blade.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a storage device that holds a plurality of saw blade containers is provided. In this aspect of the invention, the storage device includes an upper shell connected to a lower shell. At least one of the upper and lower shell comprises at least a receiving slot for receiving the container.

The above described storage device is suitable for those professional users who need to buy or carry a plurality of saw blades. With the storage device, a plurality saw blades can be organized and maintained in a convenient and safe manner. Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment the container comprises a transparent portion, allowing the saw blades to be arranged in the storage device such that they can be easily viewed by the operator and/or a purchaser.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a partial view of a saw blade of a reciprocating saw illustrating the teeth of the saw blade extending outwardly from opposite sides of the saw blade in an alternating fashion;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a container for holding a saw blade according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a container for holding a saw blade according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a container for holding a saw blade according to a third embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a container for holding a saw blade according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a storage case for holding a plurality of individual containers for holding a saw blade according to another embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of the portion A of the storage case illustrated in FIG. 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference to FIG. 1, a saw blade 10 has a set of teeth 2 which are extend outwardly from opposite side faces of the saw blade 10 in a staggered or alternating configuration. As discussed above, the configuration of the teeth 2 can pose a safety hazard for an operator of the saw that uses saw blade 10.

Referring to FIG. 2, a container 100 for containing the saw blade 10 comprises an elongated body 4, which is formed by five closed sides and an opened side. The body 4 further comprises an engaging portion 6 adjacent to the opened side, and can be engaged with a separate cover 8 such that a closed chamber for receiving the saw blade 10 is formed within the body 4. The engaging portion 6 comprises a first protruding member 12 which is operable for fixing the cover 8 to the body 4. The protruding member 12 may form an interference fit with the cover 8, or may cooperate with a recess (not shown) in cover 8 for fixing the body 4 to the cover 8. Alternatively, the protruding member 12 may be formed on the cover 8, and may form an interference fit with the body 4 or may cooperate with a mating recess (not shown) in the body for fixing the body 4 to the cover 8. In this manner, the two mating portions (i.e., the body 4 and cover 8) of the container 100 can be remove ably fixed to one another. In a preferred embodiment, the cover 8 is also provided with a fastener 14 which extends beyond an open end of the cover and includes a second protruding member 16 thereon. Alternatively, the fastener 14 may be formed or fixed on the body 4 (and extends beyond the open end of the body 4). The fastener 14 allows the container 100 to be clipped or fastened to clothing of an operator, a portion of the saw or any other desired location.

The container 100 is not limited to the embodiment described in FIG. 2. For example, three alternative embodiments of the containers 101,102,103 are provided and shown in FIGS. 3-5. In FIG. 3, the container 101 is comprised of an upper shell 101 a and a lower shell 101 b. The lower shell 101 b has a shoulder 101 c that extends around the periphery of the lower shell 101 b. The upper shell 101 a fits over the lower shell 101 b and rests on the shoulder 101 c. Preferably the dimensions of lower shell 101 b and upper shell 101 a allow the shells to be removeably fixed to one another. In FIG. 4, upper shell 102 a is hingeably connected to lower shell 102 b. In a preferred embodiment a living hinge connects upper shell 102 a and lower shell 102 b. In an even more preferred embodiment a latch (or protruding member) and recess can be provided on the upper and lower shells 102 a, 102 b to permit the container 102 to be closed or opened. Finally, in FIG. 5, upper shell 103 a slideably engages lower shell 103 b. A simple groove or slot formed in one of the upper or lower shell 103 a, 103 b slideably engages a ridge or protrusion member formed on the other of the upper or lower shell 103 a, 103 b. In will be understood by those of skill in the art that any other container configuration, which comprises a chamber for receiving the saw blade and is convenient to be manipulated and carried, may be applicable. Furthermore, interlayers or dividers may be set inside the container, and thus one or more saw blades can be contained therein.

In a more preferred embodiment of the containers 100-103 disclosed in FIGS. 2-5, body 4 is made of a hard material (e.g., plastic), and preferably, the body 4 (or one of the upper or lower shells) is transparent or at least a part of which is transparent such that the containers 100-103 are aesthetic and the saw blade stored inside the containers 100-103 can be conveniently observed. Since the above described containers 100-103 are small-sized and light-weight, saw blades are convenient and safe to be carried and used when they are stored in the containers 100-103. Furthermore, the container 100-103 can be fastened to clothing of an operator by a fastener 14 (as disclosed in the embodiment of FIG. 2, which is applicable to the embodiments disclosed in FIGS. 3-5 even though it is not shown in the drawings), which further facilitates carrying.

With reference to FIG. 6, the container 100 may be disposed in a storage device or case 20. The storage case 20 comprises an upper shell 22 and a lower shell 23, which are pivotally connected through a hinge 24 (or two hinges 24). A locking device 25 is disposed between the upper and lower shells 22, 23 for locking the shells together. A handle 27 is formed or mounted one or both of the upper and lower shells 22, 23 to facilitate carrying.

A series of receiving slots 26 are formed in parallel on the upper and lower shells 22, 23 of storage case 20. Each receiving slot 26 is shaped and sized for receiving containers 100-103 as disclosed in FIGS. 2-5. With reference to FIG. 7, each receiving slot 26 includes a bottom surface 29 and two lateral opposed sides 30. An elastic stopper 31, made of rubber or other elastic material, protrudes from each lateral opposed side 30 to hold the container 100-103 in a fixed manner within slot 26, thus preventing the container 100-103 from disengaging from the receiving slot 26 unexpectedly.

As shown in FIGS. 6-7, a series of release slots 28 are defined in the upper and lower shells 22, 23 and are perpendicular to and communicate with the receiving slots 26, separating the receiving slots 26 into first upper portion 26 a and a second lower portion 26 b. Each release slot 28 comprises a bottom surface 27 which is lower than the bottom surface 29 of each receiving slot 26 in relation to a reference surface illustrated for exemplary purposes as R′ and R″ in FIG. 6 (i.e., the bottom surface 27 of release slot 28 resides in a different horizontal plane than bottom surface 29 of receiving slot 26 in relationship to the reference surface). Thus, when the containers 100-103 are set in a receiving slot 26, a space between the container 100 (or 101-103) and the bottom of the release slot 28 allows the container 100 to be picked up easily. To facilitate removal of the containers 100-103, the size of release slot 28 is such that a user can easily reach his or her hand or fingers around the container 100-103 and remove it from the receiving slot 26.

The invention is not limited to the embodiment described hereinabove. The storage device 20 may comprise other shapes and structures which has two engageable parts. Many other modifications and variations of the preferred embodiment will be apparent and may be made without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims. 

1. A container for holding a saw blade of a reciprocating saw, wherein the saw blade having a set of teeth extended out of two side faces thereof, comprising: a separate body having an engaging portion, a cover operable to engage with the engaging portion of the body to form a chamber for receiving the saw blade.
 2. The container as set forth in claim 1, wherein the cover is connected to the body through a hinge.
 3. The container as set forth in claim 1, wherein the cover is sliding mounted on the body.
 4. The container as set forth in claim 1, wherein the cover can be plugged onto the body.
 5. The container as set forth in claim 1, wherein the cover and the body each comprises a locking device.
 6. The container as set forth in claim 1, wherein one of the cover and the body comprises a fastener for fastening to clothing of an operator.
 7. The container as set forth in claim 1, wherein at least a part of the body is transparent.
 8. The container as set forth in claim 1, wherein the body is elongate.
 9. A storage case for holding a plurality of saw blade containers of claim 1, the storage case comprising: a first shell, and a second shell, wherein the first shell and the second shell is engageable with each other, and at least one of the first shell and the second shell comprises a set of receiving slots, each receiving slot being operable for receiving a container.
 10. The storage case as set forth in claim 9, further comprising a set of release slots, each release slot being perpendicular to and communicating with one of the receiving slots.
 11. The storage device as set forth in claim 9, wherein an elastic member is defined on at least a lateral side of the receiving slot.
 12. A storage case for holding a plurality of saw blade containers, the storage case comprising: a first shell hingeably connected to a second shell; one of either the first or second shell having; a plurality of receiving slots, each receiving slot having a bottom surface and two lateral opposed sides and an elastic stopper extending from at least one of the lateral sides, the bottom surface of the receiving slot residing in a first horizontal plane with respect to a reference surface; and a plurality of release slots, each one of the release slots corresponding to one of the receiving slots and having a bottom surface that resides in a different horizontal plane than the horizontal plane of the bottom surface of the corresponding receiving slot. 